We report optical spectroscopy and photometry of the recent M31 nova candidate
M31N 2015-08c (= PNV J00441654+4132239) and photometry of M31N 2008-12a. The
first object was discovered by Gloria Sala et al. (ATEL #7963), the second
(= PTF09hsd) is well known recurrent nova (recent ATELs #8029, #7984, #7980, #7979,
#7976, #7974, #7969, #7967, #7965, #7964) undergoing the recent 2015 eruption.
The spectral data of 2015-08c were obtained on 2015 Sept. 4.924 UT using
the Russian BTA telescope equipped with the SCORPIO spectrograph. The spectra were
taken with a spectral resolution of 13.3 Å in the spectral range of 3650 - 7890 Å.
The nova M31N 2015-08c shows very strong emission Balmer lines with P Cyg type
profiles, as well as broad P Cyg FeII and NaI (5686, 5892 and 6159 Å) lines, and
FeII blends. We observe as well a bright O I 7773 Å emission without P Cyg.
Widths of H-alpha and H-beta
lines (FWHM, with account for spectral resolution) is 1560 and 1590 km/s
respectively. Equivalent width of their emission components are 378 and 106
Å respectively. A half-width at zero intensity of H-alpha is 2500 km/s. A radial
velocity of strong emission components (heliocentric) is -110 km/s, those of
absorption components is -1880 km/s. Our spectra, in conjunction with the
radial velocity map of M31 from 21-cm measurements (Corbelli et al., 2010,
Astron. Astrophys. 511, A89) for the nova location (-100 km/s), shows that
the object is an Fe II nova located in the disk of M31.

A photometry of M31N 2008-12a has been taken with the SCORPIO spectrograph
on 2015 Sept. 4.854 UT and on 2015 Sept. 6.032 UT. The accuracies and standards are
the same as in 2015-08c. On the first night we find B = 20.46, V = 20.29, Rc = 20.15.
On the second night we obtain B = 20.55, V = 20.26, Rc = 20.24, Ic = 20.32.